1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods, systems, and computer programs for playing a game with a portable device, and more particularly, methods, systems, and computer programs for playing a game with a computing system or with a portable device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The video game industry has seen many changes over the years. Example gaming platforms include the Sony PlayStation™, Sony PlayStation2 (PS2), or Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3), each of which is sold in the form of a game console. The game console is designed with specialized processing hardware, including a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a graphics synthesizer for processing intensive graphics operations, a vector unit for performing geometry transformations, and other glue hardware, firmware, and software.
Mobile gaming platforms are designed for playing games without the need to be attached to a display or a power source. Examples mobile gaming platforms include Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) and PSP Go. Additionally, other devices whose main function is other than playing games can also provide mobile gaming functionality, such as cell phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), MP3 players, etc. Online gaming is also possible, wherein a user can interactively play against or with other users over the Internet.
As game complexity continues to intrigue players, gaming software and hardware manufacturers have continued to innovate to enable additional interactivity. Although many users play games in different platforms, most games are designed for a single platform. Also, games played on a game console or on a personal computer do not allow the user to play when the user is away from the game platform.
It is in this context that embodiments of the invention arise.